Joy Comes In The Morning
by
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Bong.....bong......bong...... oh no. Janet had let time slip by. Margret would be waking from her nap soon. "Did I nap too?" she asked aloud as if anyone were there to hear her. Well, Irene heard her. She never answered her in human words though. She reached down from her recliner rocker to find the furry Labrador Retriever curled up beside her in the doughnut shape she always slept in.
"Oh well," sighed Janet. "I guess we all napped this afternoon. Better get Margret up. She'll be a cranky baby in Bible Study if I let her sleep."or Janet removed her headphones. She had been reading this afternoon. The Bible Study lesson she knew would be good. She was studying a book they were reading for tonight. Mark, her pastor husband was teaching a series on depression. Janet knew a little about depression. She had dealt with it a little especially before Mark came along. He had made things so special for Janet. She had met Mark just after finding that she had gotten pregnant with Margret. Her former husband had left for work one morning and 3 hours later she had received a knock on the door. It had been Chief Clark. She knew him from church.
He had informed her that Jerry had been in an accident going to work that morning. A week later she found out about Margret. Oh what could she do?
It had been a long day. She had called her friend Nicole to ask her to come with her in the police car to fill out papers because Nicole was sighted
and could be trusted not to tell everyone just yet. Janet had gone very sure of what she had to do. SHE HAD BEEN NUMB FOR A LONG TIME AFTER THAT DAY ALMOST
3 YEARS AGO NOW. MARGRET WOULD BE 3 IN A few months. The time had flown by', but there had not been a day that had gone by that she did not miss Jerry.
Mark had come to pastor their church soon after Jerry's death. Jerry had made a fine pastor, but Janet had not expected to meet Mark 2 months later and
have God give her such a peace about him.
They had waited and married a year later and Janet had no regrets. Mark was a fine husband. Each day he brought something for his 3 girls and Margret
loved him as if he were Jerry.
She rose and stepped gingerly around Irene who was no longer sleeping but sitting in waiting for some command from her blind mistress.
"It's all right girl. Just getting the little one up now".
She began moving to the door of Margret's nursery when she heard the familiar cry.
"Coming," said Janet. "You're all right".
As usual, her pride and joy was standing up in the bed. She had just gotten her new baby/big girl bed and standing in it was her favorite past time. Well,
why not? She had stood in her crib since she could stand.
"are you awake now and want to eat?" asked Janet to the child.
"Lunch," was the response.
Of course lunch was long over for her, but at 3 how did she know?
"okay, lunch".
Though Margret could walk, Janet carried her anyway to her highchair and buckled her in there. She used the chair still because when Mark wasn't home it
was easier to keep track of crumbs and things.
"want cookies," demanded Margret.
"please may I have cookies?" corrected Janet.
"May I pease cookies?" asked Margret.
"Yes, I think you can."
Janet gave 2 cookies and a sipper cupful of milk to Margret and began dinner preparations.
****
"Hey, there," called Mark's familiar voice.
Margret had heard the car and then the garage door.
She had been playing in her play pin as Janet finished the salad that would accompany the chicken, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables and muffins for dinner.
Margret now began to bang the toy she had been holding and said, "Daddy, out."
Of course she knew Mark would get her out, he always did.
Irene ran to him and sniffed at his briefcase.
"Irene, you're as bad as a three-year-old."
The female Golden Retriever wagged her tail and shook vigorously.
"Hey there yourself.," Janet said as she turned in her husband's direction. "How was your Wednesday?"
"Oh, I did all right. Lucy Carmons came in for counseling again. I just don't know why George doesn't come with her. They've been married so long, and
now, this."
Janet couldn't see the expression on Mark's face, but she had learned in the three years they had been married that he might have looked distraught.
"Thirty years," sighed Janet. "Imagine how it must feel for her to have found out about George's new lifestyle. I thought he was a fine deacon, but now''''"
Janet cut off thinking about Lucy and George. She had known them a long time. She remembered Jerry had counseled them a little, George had begun to treat
Lucy with anything but kindness and respect. Lucy was Janet's friend, almost as good as Nicole Simmons.
"Well," said Mark. I've got to get back early."
"You're dinner's ready anytime."
Mark came to Janet and kissed her lovingly. "You're a wonderful wife," he said. I couldn't imagine how I became so blessed to have found you."
"You didn't find me," smiled Janet. "God had that all arranged when you came to Redeeming Souls church.
"Do you want me to go with you early or should Nicole pick us up?"
"It's up to you, but you know I don't mind if you come now."
"I have Margret all ready. I got her things ready this afternoon between our naps."
"Janet."
"Yes."
"I have noticed you being tired more and more. What's up?"
"Nothing, I think."
"If you're sure."
Mark went into the bathroom off the kitchen and washed his hands.
***
"Janet, you look absolutely radiant," commented Nicole. "I can't put my finger on it, but something. Even Irene looks it."
"Oh Nicole," said Janet. "You're seeing things again. Maybe you need new glasses."
They were waiting after Bible Study for Pastor Mark to end his meeting with the men.
Nicole's husband Sam was in the meeting. They were almost finished or at least that's what Josh Nicole and Sam's 6-year-old son had said.
"I'm just a happy three-year-old bride," laughed Janet.
"That's not it," said Nicole. "Something else." "Janet, are you pregnant
"No," said Janet.
But her friend wasn't convinced.
She had known Janet almost all their lives. Since at least the sixth grade.
"Okay Mrs. gerrard," said Nicole. "but I've known you almost all your life. I think you are".
*****
And Nicole had been right. The next day Janet took the bus to the doctor.
""Nicole says I'm having another baby," Janet told Doctor Francis.
"And, she's right."
Janet looked surprised, but not disappointed as she turned her head in the friendly woman doctor's direction.
"are you sure?"
"Well, they didn't give me this license for nothing."
"Irene, forward," commanded Janet after she had left the office. Margret was holding Janet's other hand and skipped merrily along singing a song she had
learned in Sunday school.
"Jesus loves the little children," the child sang. "All the children in the world."
Margret stopped singing but kept skipping until they were close to the bus stop. She stopped and looked at her mother.
"Mommy, are you sad?"
"No, honey," said Janet. Just quiet and thinking."
tabtab Irene sat down as she always did when they arrived at the bus stop and sighed. The Thursday was warm, but not too warm. Janet wondered if she were
really having another baby. Well, why not? She and Mark hadn't planned not to have one, so well, just maybe'''''
As she heard the bus coming, she removed her change purse and took out the bus pass she had bought that morning.
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Book Details
About the Book
I got the title from the scripture in the Bible that is in Psalms. It says, "Weeping may endure for a night, but Joy Comes In The Morning.
Janet Gerard, a blind girl has lost her husband Jerry Webb of 2 years. After finding out about Jerry's death one unexpected morning, Janet discovers that
she is pregnant with their first child. About 2 months after Jerry's death, Janet meets Mark Gerard, the pastor of the church she has been attending for
the past 2 years. Mark takes an interest in Janet Webb not just because she is blind, but because she is one of his flock at the church, and he sees a
special need. She and Mark are married after 2 years of dating but meanwhile he sees her through the birth of Margret. Janet encounters many things during
her short marriage to Mark which include flashbacks with Jerry, her best friend divorcing her husband because of an alternate lifestyle, and her mother
getting ill. Though Janet is faced with many trials and not too many blind friends in her circles, she finds that God is ever present, and that though the weeping has seemed like a long time, Joy does come for her.
About the Author
LYN COOPER HAS BEEN WRITING POETRY AND SHORT STORIES SINCE HER HIGHSCHOOL YEARS. SHE BEGAN WRITING AS A TEENAGER IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE HER THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS AS A CHILD WHO HAD LIVED THROUGH A LOT OF ABUSE FROM FAMILY AND PEERS IN SCHOOL. LYN IS 45 YEARS OLD, AND HAS BEEN BLIND SINCE BIRTH DUE TO AN EYE DISEASE CALLED ROP. WHICH STANDS FOR RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY. THIS IS AN EYE DISEASE WHICH RESULTS FROM PREMATURE BIRTH, AND BEING PUT IN AN INCUBATOR AFTER THE BIRTH TO DEVELOP COMPLETELY. LYN WAS 3 MONTHS PREMATURE AND THE BLINDNESS IS CAUSED FROM THE OXYGEN GIVEN IN THE INCUBATOR AND THE BURNING OUT OF THE OPTIVE NERVES. LYN CONSIDERS THIS A DYNAMITE TESTIMONY, AS SHE WEIGHED IN AT 1 POUND 13 OUNCES AND RECEIVES JOY IN THE TELLING OF THIS BIT OF INFORMATION. LYN COMES FROM CINCINNATI OHIO, BUT ATTENDED SCHOOL AT THE OHIO STATE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND FOR MOST OF HER LIFE. SHE NOW MAKES HER HOME IN TAMPA FLORIDA, IS A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE FOR VERIZON WIRELESS, AND HAS 2 GOLDEN RETRIEVER DOGS ONE CURRENTLY WORKING AS A GUIDE DOG AND THE OTHER ONE NOW RETIRED AND LIVING THE DOGGY LIFE OF LEISURE AS A MATURE LADY. LYN IS ALSO A SINGER AND HAS WRITTEN SEVERAL CHRISTIAN SONGS, 10 OF WHICH ARE ON HER JESUS IS MY SONG CD. LYN HOPES THAT THIS BOOK, JOY COMES IN THE MORNING WILL BOTH MINISTER TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND WILL TEACH THE SIGHTED WORLD A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT BLINDNESS IS ABOUT.